Quick drain device



1959 4 W. A. STAATS 2,869,725 QUICK DRAIN DEVICE Filed March 26, 1956 2 Sheets$h eet 1 28 1 6 I h 6 l4 25 FIG-1 INVENTOR. WlLLIAM A. STAATS BY Z' 7 g ATTORNEYS Jan. 20, 1959 w. A. STAATS 2,869,725 qurcx DRAIN DEVICE Filed March 26, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-7 ?2+ 3 so" 59 WILUAM ASTAATS s8 51 30 BY nd; frag";

ATTORNEYS QUICK DRAIN DEVICE William A. Staats, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to The F. E. glfiers & Bro. Co., Ashland, Ohio, a corporation of Application March 26, 1956, Serial No. 573,898 4 Claims. (Cl. 210-137) This invention relates to flow control devices and,

2' v trolled rate of flow through the water softener during the rinsing operation.

Another object is the provision of a flow control device for awater softener which is cheap and simple to install and use. i

. It is also an object of this invention to provide a method of operating a watery softener which facilitates regeneration thereof, without complex and expensive valves. j

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a drain device and a rnethod of operation of a water softener adapted for usewith both manual and autoparticularly, to devices of this nature which are particularly adapted for use with water softeners and the like.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a flow control device for placing in the drain line of a water softener or the like which will permit rapid flow therethrough at low pressures but offer restriction to flow when the softener is under pressure.

'In the operation of a water softener, an important step in the regeneration cycle is the brining of the tank in order to regenerate the reagent which acts on the water being treated. In this connection, water softeners may be considered to fall into two general classes: those which are automatically brined by drawing concentrated brine into the water softener by siphoning or induction; and those which are brined by supplying salt to the water softener tank manually.

In either case, it is important to quickly drain sufficient water from the water softener to permit the salt or concentrated brine solution to be added thereto.

-matic types of water softeners,- particularly the manual These, and other objects and advantages of this invention, will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing a water softener arrangement of the type which is automatically brined; I

. Figure 2 is a viewsimilar to Figure 1 but showing. a type of water softener adapted for having the salt supplied thereto manually;

Figure 3 is a sectional view indicated by line 3-3 on Figures 1, 2 and 4 showing the flow control device of the present invention in cross-section and with the parts thereof in their higher flow position;

Figure 4 is an elevational view looking into the left side of the device of Figure 3 showing the distribution of the drain ports of the device; I

Figure 5 is a view of the device of Figure 3 with the parts of the device shifted into position to establish lower Heretofore, the water softeners which were manually salted were drained slowly because of a restricted drain line, provided so thatwhen the subsequent rinsing operation was carried out, the rate of fluid flow through the tank held to a reasonably low value. This, however, caused the water softener to be out of use for a considerable length of time in order to drain the tank before placing the salt therein.

With the type of softener in which the brine solution is drawn into the water softener by an inductor or the like, much the same situation exists in that the rate of How through the water softener is generally held at a reduced rate because of restriction of the drain in view of rinsing operations subsequent to brining. Heretofore, this situation has been treated in automatic softeners by having different control valve positions for rinsing and brining to effect a change in the rate of flow through the softener between the time the salt or brine is supplied thereto and the softener is rinsed. Such valves, however, are expensive and complicated.

In view of the foregoing it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a flow control device for mounting in the drain connection of a water softener which will permit rapid draining of a water softener so that salt or brine can be added thereto quickly, while at the same time providing for a controlled rate of flow through the water softener during the rinsing operation.

A still further object is the provision of a drain device for a water softener or the like, which provides for two rates of flow but without requiring any adjustment of the device.

A still further object is the provision of a flow control device for water softeners or the like which is simple in construction and which operates automatically to provide for rapid draining of the water softener preparatory to or during the brining thereof while providing for a conflow conditions;

Figure 6 is a sectional view like Figure 3 but showing a modification in which the restricted drain port-of the device is made adjustable;

Figure 7 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the restricted drain port of the device can be arranged to be automatically variable in response to the rate of flow through the device;

Figure 8 is a view like Figure'4 but showing the manner in which the low pressure drain ports of the device can be arranged in the form of arcuate slots rather than in the form of drilled holes.

Referring to the drawings somewhat: more in detail,

- such as zeolite, is indicated at 10 and there is a hard water supply line at 12 which delivers water to be softened to the upper end of the tank through a shut-off valve 14. The water supplied to the softening tank passes downwardly through the reagent therein and then upwardly through a conduit or pipe 16 and out through the shut-off valve 18 to service.

At the bottom of tank 10 is a drain conduit 20 containing a shut-off valve 22 and terminating in a flow control device 24 according to the present invention.

Associated with the water softener is a tank 26 which contains a concentrated brine solution to be conducted to the softener tank during regeneration thereof. The brine tank 26 is connected bypipe 28 with the upper end of the tank 10. A check valve 30 is connected in a line between the tank and an induction device at 32 which may consist of a small jet pump connected by pipe 34 through a shut-off valve 36 with hard water inlet line 12.

Figure 2 shows a manual type of softener and in this figure the softener tank 40 has a detachable top 42 that can be removed so that salt can be placed in the softener which terminates in a flow control device 24 according tothe present invention.

It will be understood that both of the water softeners above'are illust ated in a diagrammatic manner and that actual commerci 1 water softeners are generally'of a more complex nature and may include automatic valve arrangements .to control the water flow and may also comprise timing devices to initiate the regeneration cycle if desired.

In any case, when the reagent in the softening tank has become exhausted so that it no longer softens the water supplied, it is regenerated by supplying brine or salt to the softening tank which is allowed to stand within the tank for a predetermined length of time during which the egeneration of the reagent takes place. Thereafter, the brine is rinsed fromthe softening tank and the softener is placed back into service.

Whenever the water softener is regenerated, whether it be of the automatic or the manual type, sufficient water is removed therefrom to permit the proper amount of salt or brine to be added thereto. Subsequently, the tank is rinsed as mentioned above, and a drain connection is ordinarily supplied for draining the water from the tank to permit the brine or salt to be added thereto and for conducting the rinse'water to the sewer. I

The draining of the tank at the time of putting brine therein or preparatory to adding the salt thereto is quite slow because of a restriction in the drain connection to prevent too rapid flow through the water softener during the subsequent rinsing operation. Such slow drainage is not desirable in either case because of the time required and it is further found in the case of the automatic type, that the slow movement of the water from the tank permits the heavy brine supplied to the upper end of the tank to flow downward by convection and admix with the water in the tank.

According to the present invention a flow control device is provided in the drain connection from the softener tank which permits relatively rapid flow from the softener tank when the tank is under low pressure, as during the drain period, but which permits only a reduced rate of fluid flow from the tank when the tank is under pressure,- as during the rinsing operation following the brining of the tank.

The device which accomplishes this according to the present invention, is illustrated in Figures 3 through 8 wherein it will be seen to comprise a body part which has a relatively shallow conical recess therein and central bore 52. Bore 52 is adapted for receiving a plug 54 which is counterbored and which has an aperture 56 in the bottom wall that forms a restricted drain port.

Body part 50 has a skirt portion 58 upstanding from the periphery of the conical recess therein and it receives within this skirt portion, a second body part 60 which also in cludes a relatively shallow co-nical recess as at 62 which tapers in the opposite direction therein from the recess in body part 50, whereby a chamber is formed that converges toward the outside of the device. Tabs 59 are bent overto hold the body parts together.

A diaphragm 64 is clamped between the body parts and has an aperture of substantial size at 66 in its central portion.

The body part 60 has a threaded shank 68 adapted for being threaded into the drain connection from the softening tank and preferably includes a sealing ring at 70. A plurality of drain holes 72 are provided in body part 60 connected with the conical recess 62 therein.

When the tank of Figure l is to be regenerated, the valves 14 and 18 are closed and valve 22 is opened. Valve 36 is then opened and a brine solution will be supplied to the top of the tank while water drains from the bottom of the tank through flow control device 24 at the same rate. When the tank of Figure 2 is to be regenerated,

valves 46 and 50 are closed, valve 22 is opened and the top.

of tank is removed. This will permit water to drain from the tank through flow control device 24. Due to the low rate of flow through the device under either of these conditions, the diaphragm will remain in its Figure 3 position and the device will offer little restriction to fluid flow therethrough.

However, in either case whenever the rate of fluid flow through the flow control device increases beyond a predetermined point, the turbulence created therein sets up a pressure differential across diaphragm 64 which causes it to move within the recess in which it is mounted to its Figure 5 position. In its Figure 5 position the diaphragm closes off drain ports 72 so that all the liquid passing through the device must emerge through aperture 56. Whenever the rate of fluid flow is maintained above a predetermined minimum, the pressure on the right side of the diaphragm member retains the diaphragm in its port closing position.

The pressure at which the diaphragm moves to its Figure 5. position is variable with the thickness and flexibility of the material of the diaphragm, the angle of the conical faces in both body part 50. and body part 60, and with the degree of restriction of aperture 56. The device can thus be made sensitive to any predetermined flow rate through the device.

There is a small clearance between the surface of plug 54 and diaphragm 64 and this provides a surface of the diaphragm that is immediately available to be acted upon by pressures established by the turbulent fluid flow through the device.

Body part 50 may be provided with holes 74 to 0 receive a spanner wrench to secure thedevice on the water softener, and these holes may be availed of for supporting a bar 76, as by pins 78, with the bar carrying an adjustment screw which varies the effective area of port 56 thereby to modify the rate of flow through port 56 or the particular point at which diaphragm will move into its Figure 5 position. Adjustment screw 80 may be acutely pointed and port 56 may be of small diameter, as shown in Figure 6, or screw 80 may be broadly pointed and port 56 of larger diameter to adapt to different usages and conditions.

Instead of a fixed or adjustable bore, the plug 56 may be of the type illustrated at 82 in Figure 7- wherein it has a resilient rubber-like disk 84 that moves in response to fluid pressure for creating a restriction to permit rapid draining of the tank when it is under lower pressure and which will create a restriction in the drain line when full line pressure is restored to the softening tank. This greatly facilitates the regeneration of the water softener by reducing the time required to carry out the regeneration, and also prevents water from flowing through the tank at too rapid a rate during the rinsing operation. t

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modifications in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. The combination in a water softener, of a tank containing a softening reagent and having hard water inlet and soft water outlet connections, a normally closed drain connection leading from said tankto release water therefrom during the regeneration and subsequent rinsing of the reagent, said drain connection comprising a flow control device having a low restriction flow path normally effective and a high restriction flow path which assogm is effective when the first path becomes inefiectivc, an element in said device movable therein, and means in said device coacting with said movable element and responsive to a predetermined rate of fluid flow through the device to move said element into position to make said first path ineffective whereby rapid draining of the tank can take place when it is under low pressure but a reduced rate of flow takes place through the tank when it is being rinsed under pressure.

2. In a flow control device, a body having an inlet, a cavity in the body with which said inlet is in communication and the walls of said cavity converging toward the outside of the body, a restricted flow drain port from said body in communication with said cavity on the side opposite said inlet, substantially unrestricted flow drain holes in communication with said cavity on the same side as said inlet, and a diaphragm member extending across said cavity and being centrally apertured so that the inlet is in continuous communication with said restricted flow drain port, said diaphragm normally exposing said unrestricted flow drain holes; and means in said cavity coacting with said diaphragm so that said diaphragm is responsive to a predetermined rate of fluid flow through said restricted flow drain port to move into position to close said unrestricted flow drain holes.

3. In a flow control device, a body comprising two parts, said parts being clamped together, a cavity formed by the parts having walls that converge toward the outside of the body, an inlet port in one part in communication with the cavity, a restricted flow drain port in the other part communicating with the cavity, unrestricted flow drain means in the said one part communicating with said cavity at points located radially outward from said inlet port, and a diaphragm in the cavity clamped between said parts having a central aperture and normally exposing said drain means, there being a clearance between said diaphragm and the portion of said body part surrounding said restricted drain port so that turbulence produced by a predetermined fluid flow through said restricted drain will move said diaphragm to close said unrestricted drain means.

4. In a flow control device, a body comprising two parts, said parts being clamped together, a cavity formed by the parts having walls that converge toward the outside of the body, an inlet port in one part in communication with the cavity, a restricted flow drain port in the other part communicating with the cavity, unrestriced flow drain means in the said one part communicating with said cavity at points located radially outward from said inlet port, and a diaphragm in the cavity clamped between said parts having a central aperture and normally exposing said drain means, there being a clearance between said diaphragm and the portion of said body part surrounding said restricted drain port so that turbulence produced by a predetermined fluid flow through said restricted outlet will move said diaphragm to close said unrestricted drain means, and means on said device for varying the etfective area of said restricted drain port thereby to vary the point at which the diaphragm moves to close said drain means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

